Roberto Carlos Galeana-Guatemala, a 20-year-old Mexican national, has been charged in federal court with assaulting a federal officer using his vehicle. The incident occurred as agents and officers attempted to arrest him in National City, California.
According to the complaint, on November 12, 2025, at approximately 4:25 a.m., members of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) tried to execute a federal arrest warrant for Galeana-Guatemala outside an apartment complex. Agents positioned their vehicles in front of the Honda he was driving and announced themselves as police. Galeana-Guatemala then reversed away from the agents, prompting law enforcement to pursue him on foot while shouting commands to stop.
Additional law enforcement vehicles arrived and blocked his exit route. After attempting to maneuver around the blockade and stopping briefly, Galeana-Guatemala accelerated toward agents who had approached his driver’s side window. The complaint states that “Galeana-Guatemala momentarily paused before accelerating towards them, forcing them to scatter to avoid being hit.”
His vehicle then moved toward three agents, striking one who was thrown onto the street and under parked vehicles. The injured agent was hospitalized with contusions and a possible sternum fracture and required a wheelchair due to pain while walking.
After hitting the agent, Galeana-Guatemala continued southbound and struck another law enforcement vehicle, damaging its passenger door. He was later located by law enforcement near Fairmount Avenue in San Diego and attempted to flee again before being apprehended.
Galeana-Guatemala faces charges including Assault with a Deadly Weapon causing bodily injury, Attempted Assault on a Federal Officer, and re-entering the United States after removal. He had previously been removed from the U.S. on February 6, 2024 following a conviction for bringing in certain aliens other than through a designated port of entry.
At his detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian J. White, Galeana-Guatemala agreed to remain detained without bond.
The case is prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Lauricella. Investigating agencies include Homeland Security Investigations – Marine Task Force, U.S. Border Patrol, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Air and Marine Operations.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159: Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF brings together multiple agencies—including FBI, DEA, ATF, Department of Defense components, IRS Criminal Investigation, Interpol and others—to address crimes committed by criminal cartels and transnational organizations within U.S. borders.
“The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty,” according to officials.
If convicted of assault or attempted assault on a federal officer under Title 18 U.S.C., Sections 111(a)(1) and (b), Galeana-Guatemala faces up to twenty years in prison per count as well as fines up to $250,000 each; for illegal re-entry under Title 8 U.S.C., Section 1326 he faces up to two years’ imprisonment with an additional fine of $250,000.
